Jehanabad MP, now caught in ambulance contract row, is key to Nitish’s EBC project

The year 2005 would become the breakthrough year in Chandravanshi’s career. This was when the small-time businessman caught the attention of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was trying to build an EBC base in an attempt to go beyond his Luv-Kush (Kurmi-Koeri) votes. Crucial to this project was Nitish’s promotion of a set of EBC leaders from various parts of Bihar.

Chandravanshi found a place in this framework. His political fortunes grew, so did the family business, which currently spans petroleum, liquor and health sectors.

For one, he started emphasising on his caste name ‘Chandravanshi’ — he would earlier go by just Chandeshwar Prasad — and began mobilising within his community. From 2013 to 2019, he served as the state president of the Ati Pichhara Prakosht (EBC) wing of the JD(U).

Though not active electorally, Chandravanshi also found himself in the political set-up through a string of government posts. Between 2007 and 2010, he was the vice-chairman of the Bihar State Bal Shramik Aayog, and its chairman in 2014-16. He was also a member of Magadh University, Bodh Gaya, Syndicate between 2009 and 2015. He was subsequently elected as an MLC between 2016-18.

It was in 2019 that Chandravanshi contested his first Lok Sabha election, from Jehanabad, as a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee, and defeated RJD heavyweight Surendra Yadav. Chandravanshi became the first EBC leader to represent the seat, which had been won by upper caste Bhumihars for two decades.

Chandravanshi is now in the news for the business side of his rise. The MP’s family owns Pashupatinath Distributors Private Limited (PDPL), with five of his family members, including sons Sunil Kumar and Jitendra Kumar, listed as directors. In its series, The Indian Express reported how Bihar’s state health society tweaked, relaxed conditions, and bypassed court’s caution about PDPL’s earlier services on emergency ambulances, to award a fresh contract to the company.

Responding to the allegations, Chandravanshi told The Indian Express that he had “been a full-time politician for several years now” and has “only a stake in the family business”. PDPL, he added, had got the contract on” merit and experience”.

Asked about the conflict of interest involved in this, the MP said: “Name a political party whose politicians are not in business.”

In his election affidavit, Chandravanshi had listed moveable assets worth Rs 91.76 lakh, with his spouse’s movable assets at Rs 34.61 lakh. Chandravanshi’s immovable assets amounted to Rs 4.98 and his spouse’s to Rs 7.67 crore.